The sumo deadlift kettlebell swing is a great exercise to build strength in your legs and posterior chain. It’s also a highly technical movement that requires practice to master. It’s a variation of the sumo deadlift, which is one of the most effective exercises for building strength and mass.
The sumo deadlift kettlebell is an exercise that requires you to have good balance and stability. It works mostly with the glutes and hamstring muscles of your lower body while also making use of the mid-back, shoulder, and chest muscles of your upper body. This exercise has the same benefits as the traditional swing but it targets different parts of your body.
The exercise is a great way to help any athlete, regardless of sport or training goal, and improve his or her strength. Keep reading this article to learn more about sumo deadlifts and find out why you should incorporate them into your training.
How to perform the Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift
- Set up with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and the kettlebell in the middle of your feet.
- Squat down and grab the kettlebell with both hands, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Drive through your heels and stand up, keeping the kettlebell close to your body.
- Reverse the movement and lower the kettlebell back to the ground, maintaining control throughout the entire range of motion.
Grip strength is an important factor in strength training. Grip exercises can help improve your strength by building up the muscles of your forearms and hands. Alternatively, a lifting strap can be used to support your grip while lifting heavier weights.
Benefits of the Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift
The kettlebell sumo deadlift has many benefits. These benefits include:
Increased Strength
One of the most obvious benefits of the kettlebell sumo deadlift is the increase in strength that it can provide. This movement targets the posterior chain muscles, which are responsible for a lot of the strength in the body.
Improved Posture
Another benefit of the kettlebell sumo deadlift is the improvement in posture that it can provide. This movement helps to strengthen the muscles in the back and the core.
Increased Muscle Mass
Another benefit of the kettlebell sumo deadlift is the increased muscle mass that it can provide. This is because the movement targets the large muscles in the body.
Improved Balance
Another benefit of the kettlebell sumo deadlift is the improved balance that it can provide. This is due to the fact that the movement helps to strengthen the muscles in the legs and the core.
Enhanced athletic performance
Another benefit of the kettlebell sumo deadlift is the enhanced athletic performance that it can provide. This movement helps to improve the strength and power of the muscles in the legs and the core.
The kettlebell sumo deadlift is a great exercise for those who are looking to increase their strength, improve their posture, and increase their muscle mass.
Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift Muscles Worked
Quadriceps
These are the large muscles on the fronts of your thighs. They’re responsible for extending your knees, quadriceps play a major role in the deadlift. Quadriceps are engaged by a kettlebell sumo deadlift when you drive your knees back and extend them at the start of the workout.
Hamstrings
These are the muscles on the backs of your thighs. They’re responsible for bending your knees. They are activated by the kettlebell sumo deadlift when you drive your hips back and bend your knees at the start of the movement.
Glutes
These are the muscles on the back of your hips. They’re responsible for extending your hips. They are engaged by the kettlebell sumo deadlift when you drive your hips back and extend them at the start of the move.
Lower Back
These are the muscles on the back of your spine. They’re responsible for stabilizing your spine, and as such, play a major role in the deadlift. They are activated by the kettlebell sumo deadlift when you keep your spine neutral and maintain a flat back throughout the movement.
Traps
These are the muscles on the tops of your shoulders. They’re responsible for stabilizing your shoulders. They are engaged by the kettlebell sumo deadlift when you keep your shoulders down and back and maintain a strong grip on the kettlebell.
Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift Variations
Here are a few kettlebell sumo deadlift variations that you can try:
1. Kettlebell Suitcase Deadlift
The Kettlebell Suitcase Deadlift is a great strength training exercise that helps you build muscle in your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. It targets three major muscle groups and also works on your core due to the need to keep your body upright. Kettlebells force you to maintain a straighter back throughout the lift, while unique hand placement forces you to engage your core and prevent your hips from loading up with weight.
Here is how you do this exercise:
- Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and a kettlebell on the ground in front of you.
- Bend down and grip the kettlebell with one hand, keeping your back straight.
- Drive through your heels to stand up, keeping the kettlebell close to your body.
- Reverse the movement and lower the kettlebell back to the ground.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
The kettlebell suitcase deadlift is a great way to strengthen your lower body, but it is also very important to maintain a straight back throughout the movement. If you begin to round over into the movement you risk hurting your back and should stop immediately. Remember to keep your abs tight and move your hips with the weight as you pull it up.
2. Kettlebell Kickstand Deadlift
The Kettlebell Kickstand Deadlift is a great variation of the Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift. You can do the movement with a lighter kettlebell for increased reps, or a heavier kettlebell for increased challenge. This exercise provides ample opportunity for both increases in work capacity and hypertrophy development with its slightly altered range of motion and different body positions.
Here is how you do kettlebell kickstand deadlift:
- Position a kettlebell a few inches in front of your feet, with the handle pointing up.
- Squat down and grab the kettlebell by the handle.
- Place your other hand on the kettlebell for support.
- Keeping your back straight, drive through your heels and stand up, extending your hips and knees.
- At the top of the lift, lock out your hips and knees.
- Return to the starting position and repeat.
The Kettlebell Kickstand Deadlift is a fun and easy exercise to add to your ever-growing kettlebell arsenal. This exercise can be used with a light weight for high reps or with a heavier weight for more challenging sets. Spinal stability and balanced strength are improved with this lift, as are the gluteal muscles, hamstrings, posterior deltoids, core, and grip.
3. Single-Leg Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift
The single-leg Romanian deadlift is a traditional heavy strength exercise that has many benefits. You can perform this exercise to build your lower body strength and endurance, along with your core muscle groups. This exercise can also help you improve your balance and coordination.
To do this exercise:
- Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart, holding a kettlebell in your right hand.
- Keeping your back flat and your core engaged, hinge at your hips and lower the kettlebell towards your left foot, letting your right leg straighten out behind you.
- Once the kettlebell reaches your left ankle, reverse the movement and drive your hips forward to return to the starting position.
- Repeat on the other side.
The single-leg kettlebell Romanian deadlift is an excellent exercise for building lower body strength and endurance. It is especially beneficial for those who are looking to build their hamstrings, quads, and quadriceps muscle groups and balance at the same time. If you have never performed this exercise before, start with a lighter weight until you master the right form. Avoid straining your muscles by avoiding bouncing or jerky motions while performing this exercise.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to advance your deadlift, the sumo deadlift is an exercise that you should be utilizing. It helps you to gain strength and power during the lockout of the deadlift and will help to build your glutes and hamstrings—two very important muscles that having a strong sumo deadlift will help out with. Additionally, if you want the best results, always aim for the highest quality kettlebells that you can find. This will only improve your performance in the long run and keep you from injuring yourself.